Let’s Revive The Basics Of Comma

Understanding the comma is one of the most basic principles involved in the writing of any academic work. There are a number of reasons why this is so, and the most important of them is the fact that academic writing is in fact, a very formal style of writing. For this reason, always ensuring that whatever you are writing is not only perfectly written with all the spellings and grammar correct, it is just as essential to ensure that all the punctuation used in the work is right and properly used.

In this case, it is usually the insignificant comma that is the biggest sufferer. Most students are unfortunately unaware of the proper placement of the comma and for this reason end up with academic work where the comma has not been properly placed. At the end of the day, this detracts from the quality, and sometimes even the credibility of the written work.

What Students Can Do Instead

There are two ways that students can go about correcting their work and removing all punctuation errors from the same. The best advice here would be to try a combination of the two to ensure that they are able to succeed with all forms of academic writing later. The first of these two methods is learn the proper placement of commas and the second is to seek professional, academic writing help. The following are some of the most basic rules concerning proper usage of commas.

Use of commas before coordinating conjunctions

This includes coordinating conjunctions such as but, yet, and, for, nor, or, so. Example: I went for a walk, and I saw a donut shop.

Commas need to be added after using dependent clauses that begin the sentence.

Dependent clauses are units of grammar that have both verb and subject within them, but cannot stand on their own as an independent sentence or phrase. Here ‘When I went for a walk’ is the dependent clause. Example: When I went for a walk, I saw a donut shop.

Commas offset appositives from the remainder of the sentence

Juxtaposed words and phrases use appositives as synonyms. Here ‘one that sold only donuts’ is the appositive, giving us information about the kind of dessert shop it is. Example: While walking, I saw a dessert shop, one that sold only donuts.

Using commas is important to differentiate between the various items in a series.

Although commonly not something that is missed out on, there is one problem with using commas for items in a series: the Oxford comma, or the last comma that occurs before the and that precedes the last item in the series. In formal, UK style academic writing in particular, the use of the Oxford comma is an essential. The following two examples show why: Example:

Two dogs, Bill, and Allen were playing in the park.

This sentence shows that there were four creatures, the two dogs and, presumably, two humans, Bill and Allen, playing in the park.

Two dogs, Bill and Allen were playing in the park.

This sentence suggests that two dogs, presumably named Bill and Allen, were playing in the park.

With all these rules, it can get difficult to understand just when to place commas, and this is where the idea of getting professional help comes in. To ensure you always get good grades, why not contact British Essay Writing Service for help today?

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